Happening Wednesday: Vince Gill, Joan Didion and more

Vince Gill at the Troubadour; 'Modern Art in Los Angeles: Assemblage and Politics' at the Getty; Rachel Kushner and Ariana Reines at the Hammer; Joan Didion at Vibiana.

Vince Gill The singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist has multiple studio albums on his resume, not to mention 20 Grammys and 18 CMA Awards. Catch a display of his high, lonesome tenor voice and soul-country guitar licks during his current U.S. tour, featuring material from his latest long-player, "Guitar Slinger." Troubadour, 9081 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 8 p.m. $29.99. (310) 276-6168. http://www.troubadour.com.

ART

Modern Art in Los Angeles: Assemblage and Politics Los Angeles artists Ed Bereal, Mel Edwards, George Herms, Nancy Reddin Kienholz and Betye Saar, who used the medium of assemblage to comment on the political climate of postwar America, will discuss the connection between art and social critique. Getty research associate Lucy Bradnock will moderate. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, L.A. 7 p.m. Free, reservations required. (310) 440-7300. http://www.getty.edu.

BOOKS

Rachel Kushner and Ariana Reines Enjoy readings by the two writers at the Hammer. Kushner's first novel, "Telex From Cuba," was a finalist for the National Book Award, and she regularly contributes to Artforum. Reines' play "Telephone," which was commissioned by New York's Foundry Theatre in 2009, was lauded by the New York Times and the New Yorker and won two Obies. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. 7 p.m. Free. (310) 443-7000. http://www.hammer.ucla.edu.

Joan Didion The coolly intellectual author of "The White Album" and most recently the devastating memoir "Blue Nights" brings her wealth of California experience and observational acumen on the human heart to the Los Angeles Public Library's Aloud series. She'll discuss her work with Los Angeles Times book critic David Ulin. Aloud at Vibiana, 214 S. Main St. 8 p.m. $25. http://www.lfla.org.